Colonel William A. Phillips

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The 1883 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held in January 1883. Incumbent Republican Senator George Frisbie Hoar was re-elected to a second term in office despite a serious challenge from Democrats and members of his own party.

At the time, Massachusetts elected United States Senators by a resolution of the Massachusetts General Court.

Background

State legislature

Main article: 1883 Massachusetts legislature

At the time, the Massachusetts legislature was controlled by the Republican Party, as it had been since that party's founding. However, 1883 was the high point of the Massachusetts Democratic Party in the latter half of the 19th century. The upcoming Senate election was a dominant issue in the 1882 legislature elections.[1]

The Senate was composed of 22 Republicans and 18 Democrats,[2] and the House had 151 Republicans, 84 Democrats, and 5 independents.[3] Unless the Republicans could emerge unanimously in favor of one candidate, it was possible for the Democratic Party to choose the winner from among the Republican candidates.

Anti-Hoar sentiment

Incumbent George F. Hoar, who was elected in 1877 after a protracted four-day struggle, faced strong opposition from within the Republican Party. The anti-Hoar faction cited his icy and aloof demeanor, which had allegedly cost him any chance at influence in the Senate.[4]

Harvard President Charles William Eliot was among those who called for Hoar's defeat.[5]

Newly elected Democratic Governor Benjamin F. Butler, a former Republican, was also a bitter rival of Hoar, decreasing the chances that he could rely on Democratic votes. The Democratic party, now at its apex, also may have looked to defeat Hoar to weaken the unity of the Republicans in the long term.[6] However, Governor Butler's inaugural address may have inflamed partisan tensions, leading many Republicans to return to Hoar's side.[7]

Edmunds speech

Before the election, Hoar made a speech in which he excoriated his Republican Senate colleague George F. Edmunds for missing a minor vote; Edmunds had been at the deathbed of his teenage daughter and just returned from her funeral. Edmunds rose in response and choking back tears said, "The Senator knows I was not present at the session." Hoar attempted to apologize, but his speech was widely criticized in the Democratic press.[8][9][10]

Candidates

Declared

The chief names offered by anti-Hoar faction were William W. Crapo[4][11] and outgoing Governor John Davis Long, a candidate more friendly to the Butler Democrats and the younger "progressive" element in the Republican Party, including Henry Cabot Lodge and Oliver Ames.[12][13][1] Any candidate faced the difficult task of uniting the disparate elements of the anti-Hoar faction, which included Democrats, Butler Republicans, and anti-reform Stalwarts.[1]

Potential

The following candidates were mentioned as potential candidates or received votes, but did not openly declare their willingness or desire to be elected.

Declined

Election

Republican conference (January 10)

There was some effort made by Long supporters to call for a binding caucus of the Republican legislators, but this effort was defeated at an informal conference. Speeches at the conference expressed favor for Senator Hoar.[15][16]

January 16

On the first day, balloting in the Senate dominated.

First, second, and third State Senate ballots[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Frisbie Hoar (inc.) 16 41.02%
Democratic Samuel W. Bowerman 15 38.46%
Republican John Davis Long 6 15.38%
Republican William W. Crapo 2 5.13%
Total votes 39 100.00%
Fourth State Senate ballot[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican George Frisbie Hoar (inc.) 16 41.02% Steady
Democratic Samuel W. Bowerman 12 30.77% Decrease3
Republican John Davis Long 9 23.08% Increase3
Republican William W. Crapo 2 5.13% Steady
Total votes 39 100.00%

On the fifth ballot, Democrats abandoned Bowerman in favor of Long, giving him victory in the Senate.

Fifth State Senate ballot[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican John Davis Long 21 53.85% Increase12
Republican George Frisbie Hoar (inc.) 16 41.02% Steady
Republican William W. Crapo 2 5.13% Steady
Total votes 39 100.00%

In the House, a single ballot was taken, showing Hoar with a lead but 11 votes short of a majority.

First State House ballot[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Frisbie Hoar (inc.) 108 45.57%
Democratic Samuel W. Bowerman 82 34.60%
Republican John Davis Long 29 12.24%
Republican William W. Crapo 10 4.22%
Democratic Benjamin F. Butler 2 0.84%
Republican Ambrose Ranney 2 0.84%
Republican George D. Robinson 2 0.84%
Republican Charles Francis Adams, Jr. 1 0.42%
Democratic Edward Atkinson 1 0.42%
Total votes 237 100.00%

January 17

On the second day, the two houses met in a joint convention. No candidates achieved a majority, but Hoar and Long each gained.

First joint ballot[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican George Frisbie Hoar (inc.) 129 46.74% Increase5
Democratic Samuel W. Bowerman 90 32.61% Increase8
Republican John Davis Long 41 14.86% Decrease9
Republican William W. Crapo 11 3.99% Decrease1
Scattering Others 5 1.81% Decrease5
Total votes 276 100.00%
Second joint ballot[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican George Frisbie Hoar (inc.) 131 46.74% Increase2
Democratic Samuel W. Bowerman 81 29.35% Decrease9
Republican John Davis Long 49 17.75% Increase8
Republican William W. Crapo 12 4.35% Increase1
Scattering Others 3 1.09% Decrease2
Total votes 276 100.00%

After the second ballot, a motion for a third ballot was defeated by the Hoar faction 128–119. The Long supporters claimed that a third ballot would have given their man the victory.[18]

January 18

Third joint ballot[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican George Frisbie Hoar (inc.) 148 54.61% Increase17
Democratic Samuel W. Bowerman 88 32.47% Increase7
Republican John Davis Long 38 14.02% Decrease11
Republican William W. Crapo 3 1.11% Decrease9
Total votes 271 100.00%

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Aspirants in Massachusetts: Hoar Leading, Long Second, and Crapo Held in Reserve". New York Times. January 11, 1883. p. 3.
  2. ^ "Composition of the Massachusetts State Senate", Resources on Massachusetts Political Figures in the State Library, Mass.gov, archived from the original on June 6, 2020
  3. ^ "Composition of the State of Massachusetts House of Representatives", Resources on Massachusetts Political Figures in the State Library, Mass.gov, archived from the original on June 6, 2020
  4. ^ a b c The Baltimore Sun. January 2, 1883. p. 2. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ "The Trouble With Senator Hoar". Boston Daily Globe. January 4, 1883. p. 2.
  6. ^ "The Butler-Democratic Plot". The New York Tribune. January 5, 1883. p. 5.
  7. ^ "Political News". New York Tribune. January 9, 1883. p. 4.
  8. ^ "A Rancourous Senator". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. January 9, 1883. p. 4.
  9. ^ "Mr. Hoar's Smartness". Boston Daily Globe. January 10, 1883. p. 2.
  10. ^ "Hoar's Brutality". The Atlanta Constitution. January 10, 1883. p. 1.
  11. ^ "Notes and Comments". Detroit Free Press. January 3, 1883. p. 4.
  12. ^ "Gath: The Eastern Nag Said to Be Slightly Ahead". The Cincinnati Enquirer. January 8, 1883. p. 1.
  13. ^ "Seeking Senate Honors: Aspirants for the Office in Ten States". New York Times. January 11, 1883. p. 3.
  14. ^ "A Lie to Help Hoar". Boston Daily Globe. January 12, 1883. p. 2.
  15. ^ "Informal Senatorial Conference in Massachusetts". Chicago Daily Tribune. January 11, 1883. p. 2.
  16. ^ "The Massachusetts Senatorship". Hartford Daily Courant. January 12, 1883. p. 2.
  17. ^ a b c d e "The Senatorial Strife: Hoar and Long Still Struggling for Victory".
  18. ^ a b "For Senatorial Honors". New York Times. January 18, 1883. p. 1.
  19. ^ "Hoar the Choice". Boston Daily Globe. January 19, 1883. p. 1.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1883_United_States_Senate_election_in_Massachusetts